LIVESTRONG Blog

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/corps08/ddorfman David Dorfman

How can I help? I did my first survivor stand up comedy show a few weeks ago. Off to triathlon practice as an honored teammate for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Triathlon Team.

Maribeth Priore

Within the past five years, I have lost 7 dear friends to cancer. I have 2 good friends who are cancer survivors and my dad and I are both skin cancer survivors. My friends and I have participated in fund raising events for breast cancer and our local “Relay for Life” events. I cannot understand how we can put men on the moon, communicate with people half way around the world in a matter of seconds via the internet, cell phones and such, have 150 or more television channels at our disposal and for whatever reason, we cannot find a cure for cancer ~ all cancer. I too, am utterly frustrated and angry. I’ve been hearing about strides in cancer research since I was a child, I am now 52 years old and I feel as if we have come no further along in the battle to cure cancer than we were in 1967 when I was a child. Thank God for Lance Armstrong Katie Couric and others who use their celebrity for a greater cause. Everyone in the world has been touched by cancer in one way or another, its time for all of us as a nation to use whatever means we have as individuals to make a difference. It most certainly is time to, “Stand UP to Cancer!”

Nan Higgins

I am a cancer survivor of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma – two years now – and support all efforts to further cancer research and awareness. I will be watching this moving story on Friday.

Jak Jon

It’s not so much that I am in remission from cancer it is that there is a close friend and others I know who have to deal with cancers, I refer to us as C’s. As a child I always feared the thought of cancer and when I got it as an adult I realized that we are still the same people and CAN survive with a little help from our friends and the desire to LIVESTRONG.

Johanne Plante

I’ll watch the show. I’lost many friends,family members and my father to cancer. My mom is a breast ca. survivor. Every year, for the past 4 yrs, I’ve done 60 km walks for breast ca. and raise 3 to 6K$.One of the walkers just did his 28th walk and keeps going. And on sept. 12, a friend will ride along w/ Lance for cancer research in Montreal. I also contributed to his fund raising. I will keep walking for hope, courage and life; I just walk ’cause I can’t walk away. Never give up everybody!!

http://www.getyourrearingear.com Kristin Tabor

While I am very proud of your work as a team – you have ignored the grassroots non-profits. There are so many groups which have stood up and worked exhausting hours – only to be excluded from this private party. I can’t begin to tell you how hard this is for the groups which started with no star power or cash flow to be excluded.

I’ve worked very hard to align with the great groups for colon cancer such as the Colon Club and the great 5k’s in DC, AR, WA, FL, NY, SC, KY, etc. Get Your Rear in Gear was started by people with no money and now we are the largest national 5k in the USA. For the families and friends of these great organizations – please recognize them for standing up.

Kristin Tabor
President & Founder
Get Your Rear in Gear 5k
Colon Cancer Coalition

http://www.LAF.ORG Penny Feddick

I am very happy that these stars are having this on TV. I feel that Lance and the whole LAF foundation and LiveSTRONG ARMY and the countless other organizations should be heard for their countless efforts and money raised. It is sad that we have to rely on TV Stars to bring this to light, but whatever help it takes is worth it. I support anything that can bring a change and we continue to do what need to do what we need to do to raise money and fight. We ARE the voice!!!! We will not go away and we WILL be heard!!!! LiveSTRONG!!!!!! StandSTRONG!!!!!!

Sue

My sister is a survivor, 3years now!! I have many friends & family who have had cancer. We are currently losing a nephew to cancer and it makes me angry. That’s why I walk the Relay for Life each year, because that makes me feel less helpless. Our daughter is a huge LIVESTRONG supporter. Thank you for giving hope.

http://www.maddoxoncology.com Suzan Maddox

I think Stand Up to Cancer is a GREAT idea and so appreciate those that have made it happen.

I do have to wonder why Muscular Dystrophy gets 24 hours and cancer gets one hour….

http://www.eraseibc.com Patti Bradfield

To get the media together to do anything collectively is a fete in itself. But I am with Kristin Tabor (above), in the trenches without the star clout, trying to just EDUCATE about a cancer that most women don’t know about and doctors misdiagnose…INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER…I would love to know after this broadcast where the money will be spent that undoubtedly will be collected. Women are dying because doctors are not educated. I would love to see the media do a story on that scenario.

Patti Bradfield, President
The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation
http://www.eraseibc.com
http://www.komotv.com/ibc

Dawn Ford

I agree with Patti Bradfield. My coworker is an active member of the IBC Foundation and she advocates daily on IBC and getting the word out to women that there is a breast cancer out there that isn’t detectable by a mamogram and doctors are misdiagnosing it. We need to educate!!

Angela Gilchrist

WOW! I guess we will plan that one hour special into Kayden’s 6th Birthday celebration! He will understand, he knows how important the cancer issue is to his mommy(smiles). On another positive note, I am happy to report the delivery of my 240 LiveSTRONG notebook!! Heck, I didn’t even get them picked up without giving a box to our Postmaster! This ARMY is on a march through Nebraska..so look out! Hugs to all & continue to LIVESTRONG!

Uzoma Correia

My Name is Uzoma,

I am not sick of Cancer as far as I know, but I am a warrior agains this deseas which is taken my family and Friends, and other Humans I do not know.

I raise my prayers to all of us, an have faith that GOD will protect us against it.

May this Cure be found, May this desease be defeated

Maureen

I have stage IV colon cancer, was diagnosed 18 mths ago and thank God am doing well after 2 series of chemo treatments. I pray for us all and am grateful for all and any help, I will be watching, Thank you

http://StanduptoCancer Elaine Townes

I am a pediatric nurse. One of my patients was diagnosed with ALL at the age of 5. This is the best treatable form of leukemia. He died at age ten due to chemotherapy killing his pancreas. My cousin at age 36 was diagnosed with AML and told to get his life in order. He is alive today with a wife and 2 sons. I continue to follow kids on the caringbridge website. I have participated with team in training and completed 1 full marathon and 2 1/2 marathons, as well as doing light the night walk every year in my community. My contribution thus far us a little over $30,000 from many donations. I would encourage any and everyone to particiapte in some way. It truley takes all of us! Kids should not die for what adults do not do! Elaine

Jeff Tubaugh

Doug this sounds great! Thanks for the info…On another note, there was some discussion at the summit, about LAF publishing a “where the canidates stand on cancer issues” Report Card…..are you still planning on doing that? Jeff

Robert

Doug,

This is a fantastic effort to help raise awareness and money for the fight against cancer. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

I also want to use the space to alert you, the LAF, and others in the Army to a sudden shift and major change in Policy made by one of the candidates for President in regard to health insurance.

In 2 seperate events attended by memebers of the Ohio Valley LiveSTRONG Army this weekend , The Democratic Candidate has now officially ,CHANGED his postition on access to Health Insurance from EVERYONE will have access to the postion of making it ” more affordable for people.” When asked directly about his promise made last week in Denver “to allow everyone access to the same healcare that congress has”, he repeated ” we will make healthcare more affordable”

We have heard this in talking points of the surrogates and directly and repeadly from the Director of Campaign himself numerous times in the last 2 days. This is a subtle, but direct contridiction to the promise he has made many, many times, and in his acceptance speach last week.

It seems nobody in the Media has caught this shift.

We of the Ohio Valley LiveSTRONG Army have made Healthcare access to EVERYONE a cornerstone of our of mission by holding both candidates accountable to the promise’s made.

Over the next 60 days, we will have many opportunities to take this fight directly to the Candidates in the battleground State of Ohio, and we hope that the LAF, and others of the LiveSTRONG Army in the battleground States of Michigan and Pa, will join us in this fight.

Research is very important, and we support it strongly, but we also see a major loss in the battle against cancer .

We have exactly 60 days to hold the Candidates for President of the United States accountable for their Promise of accsess to Healthcare for ALL Americans. As I mentioned, one of them has already changed that postion this weekend in 2 events in Ohio.

To allow this to fall to the side of an empty promise will hurt too many people affected by cancer. We have treatments that can help many people , now. Many cannnot get access to them because of lack of Health Insurance.

If we lose the promise of access to Healhcare, millions of people who are already in the fight for their lives, and those that will follow in the future, the consequences will be disasterous.

You asked us to fight . We feel strongly this is a good one and one we cannot lose.

We hope everyone will join us in this effort to hold the candidates accountable for their promises of access to healthcare for everyone.

LS Army, Ohio Valley

Mary Sigg

Doug,
I am a 6 year 7 month survivor and am trying to get more involved in Cancer issues. I also attended the summit in Ohio and would like to follow up with the information about ‘where the canidates stand’ as I go out and invite others to register to vote, it would be alot of help in being able to answer the questions on the canidates. Thank you for providing the information about the Stand up to Cancer as there are alot of us survivors out there but there is one missing that passed Saturday.

Kathy Ivancevich

I am a 2 year 6 month survivor to Hodgkins-Lymphoma and doing well. My father now has bladder cancer I pray everyday we can find a cure . My friends and family all wear the Livestrong wrist bands. I will support anything that will bring a change . Live life dont sweat the small stuff and I thank god every day for what I have. God bless everyone.

Barbara W.

I am an 11year 6 month stage IIIA breast cancer survivor . I also work at a hospital in an area where the population is definitely underserved. The fear and ignorance is mind-numbing at times;they are afraid to die and afraid to ask for help.I truly hope the government will turn around but I fear it will take more than a new President. I am having trouble lately with all the varied groups raising money for cancer research. I see too many people dying while I’m feeling that there could already be a cure in exsistence. In the meantime,I continue to tell people that I am a survivor. One man said he could not believe he had met me at such a low point in his life-prostate cancer at age 52. He told me that I am here to testify. I know that is what we need to do….

Tracey H.

I am sitting at home watching the convention, not hearing about cancer or health care… while in my Susan G. Komen t-shirt resting after an open water swim in my 8th week of training for a local women’s triathlon to raise $ for women who don’t have insurance OR adequate insurance to pay for mammograms and follow up treatment. I am fortunate to be a 3 year breast cancer survivor and have to admit that I am able to work through some angst and a little anger over our national cancer and health care crisis through my training. I am happy that my mother and I are cancer survivors, yet mourning dear friends that were not as fortunate. I am wondering what else I can do. I have a family, work full time, and am frankly a little pissed off that we have to raise awareness and money because health care doesn’t seem to be a priority in Washington and where laws and spending decisions are made. Where is the tipping point? Thanks for hanging in there. I know someday we will look back at this dark time when $ is spent on other priorities rather than curing cancer and shake our heads. I am hoping for that day.

Kate Slevin

I met Doug and Lance at the san Jose livestrong Challenge event whem mt Team Pedalout was honored at a dinner. Onw week later,my insurance company denied my breast cancer clinical trial. Undeterred and inspired by Doug and Lances’s words and the LAf mission statement-I demanded my right to a clincial trial and after 7 days of long , tearful and angry phonecalls- the decision was reversed. I got my trial.
I am standing up to cancer and I livetrong.
my message—everyone little thing that everyone does helps.

http://www.livestrong.org Brian Howe (LAF Staff)

Please check out the resources page on the Stand Up 2 Cancer website to see that they embrace grassroots advocacy and that they are working with advocates to make sure that treatments are getting to patients as quickly as possible.

http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/resources/advocacy

Kumi W.

This should be an amazing event! I’m very proud to be running in the NYC Marathon this November and I hope to raise $10k for LAF in the process. Thank you for all of the great work your organization continues to do!

Sherri

This is brilliant. My daughter had a yard sale and asked friends and family for donations, we raised a little less than our goal and look forward to raising more this weekend and applying it to
Team Yard Sale. The look in my daughters eyes when I had to tell her Papa was dying of cancer, then again when I had to tell her that a dear, loving friend and mentor was losing her 15 year battle with cancer. And again when we helped her husband say good bye. My heart has broken beyond repair for the loss of everyone who has fought and lost their battle and everyone who has loved them and held their hands while they say good-bye. My dear friend was brave and full of hope, one of the last conversations we had was that we didn’t believe the Dr’s when they said we were dying because we felt so alive – she passed 6 months later. She can no longer stand up to cancer but we are dedicated to stand up for her and all of those whose lovely voices have been silenced by this monster. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

http://www.survivingcancerwhole.com kim

Thank you so much for this amazing night! I am a 6 year breast cancer survivor and I stood up to cancer! Cancer gave me many gifts, my life is better than it ever was and I appreciate every moment. To give something back to all those dealing with cancer I founded http://www.survivingcancerwhole.com Check it out, hope you find some comfort, support and inspiration there.

http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=197af163ffaac2dbe954aa&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url Joy Parisi

THANK YOU !
THANK YOU !
THANK YOU !
I am a Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma survivor who knows, all too well, the heart-ache this disease brings to families touched by cancer.
I know what it is like to be the patient, struggling through the days of chemo…and sadly, I know what it is like to watch a loved one go through the very same…and lose the battle. My Dad was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung cancer in 2004. I was with him at the time he was diagnosed and at his side during his treatments. In February 2005, he lost our Silver Giant.
How do you think I felt as I listened to the new findings for Lung Cancer and the gentleman who still survives!!!
We have lost too many of our family members to this disease… but I still have faith in our researchers.
I was given a 59% survival of 5 years. I beat those odds and living 12 years cancer free!
As a survivor I offer hope to other families and fundraise to help get us closer to the cure. I have my life back and its my turn to give back by
Funding for the Cure.

Thank you for getting the word out to our NATION… if it takes a well-known face to get someone to open their wallet… so be it.
I will continue to do the same…from a small town…knocking on doors and making a difference in the lives of those with cancer trying like hell to stand up to cancer !
Be well, live strong
Joy Parisi, Survivor/Advocate

Giving Back…take a peek.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=197af163ffaac2dbe954aa&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

http://www.ashleyannnakata.blogspot.com April

Our daughter is battling a very rare childhood cancer. She was diagnosed at 16 months with Hepatoblastoma. Liver cancer. She has had 2 surgeries, 2 Cat Scans, 2 x-rays, 4 rounds of chemo. Fortunately she avoided an NG tube to feed her as she was still breastfeeding and managed to gain nearly 1 kilo during treatment. She’s currently in the monitoring stage. She lost her eyebrows, eyelashes, almost all hair. We won’t know if she’s cured for 5 years. I hope we get to see her go to kindergarden some day. We’re on a roller coaster since May 9th 2008. Please contribute to help cancer patients. Please help find a cure. Ashley’s cancer, hepatoblastoma is so rare that only 100 kids a year in the entire US get it. Please help find a cure for cancer.

http://www.lifesandwiches.blogspot.com/ Leah Shearer

Hey Doug,

I met you at the LiveSTRONG Summit and spoke with you the night at the Columbus Zoo.
You were gracious enough to get my friend Zach a personalized autograph from LANCE which arrived in the mail a few days after I got home from the Summit. I would like to thank you so much for passing that on.
I wanted to THANK YOU but didn’t have an email for you or anything. Important guys always have hard to find emails.

I ALSO wanted to let you know that Zach is the same guy on the LiveSTRONG site video. He is now one of the 10 finalists in the LiveSTRONG.com Dare to share your story contest. I had read the posting on this blog and knew this was the competition for Zach. His friend Tim got busy making a video…and here he is now one of 10 finalists. No matter if he wins or not it’s been amazing. Lance has been his inspiration from the start.

Thank you Doug!

http://journals.aol.com/anne91547/anne-mcginnis-breens-articles/ Anne Breen

Thanks Doug,
Both Sen McCain and Sen Obama are already reneging on health care promises they made earlier. We have spent so much on the war in Iraq and so little on the war on cancer I get so discouraged. As far I can see, the only real terrorist cells in this country are the crazy abnormal cancer cells hiding in our own bodies and the bosies of our loved ones. If being prolife was truly important to our political leaders we would never have spent a dime or lost another human life in the unjust war in Iraq. I think we live in a global village now, certainly in the medical world, of doctors, nurses, patients and our loved ones that get left behind, we could all agree that finding a cure for cancer and providing universal direct medical health care services to all children and adults is the best way to protect and save the most human lives and more importantly all work together internationally with the world health organizations to solve this terrible problem of cancer disease in all its many shapes, grades and forms. I am a primary brain tumor survivor myself for two decades and I wish we had truly made more research progress in the fight against cancer remission besides earlier detection and generally less toxic treatments that make it a long term chronic condition now for millions more people.
GBYAY Anne Breen

Doug's VBlog about the Stand Up 2 Cancer

Sep 03, 2008 by Doug Ulman
30 Comments

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Doug's VBlog about the Stand Up 2 Cancer

Sep 03, 2008 by Doug Ulman30 Comments

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Sep 03, 2008 by Doug Ulman
30 Comments